Collapsible music holder



April 2, 1963 M. CORALLINE COLLAPSIBLE MUSIC HOLDER Filed Jan. 17, 1957 R m m N N Wm M I A R I 0 c u m7 K I mm m my B n 0 1 M3 6 aw U k W NH n/ /w l 7 z z United States Patent 3,083,835 COLLAPSIBLE MUSIC HOLDER Mark Coralline, 1682i) Windemere Road, Brookfield, Wis.

Filed Jan. 17, 1957, Ser. No. 634,711 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-118) This invention relates to a collapsible music holder for suspension from a music rack.

In order that musicians may have their music, and particularly their sheet music, readily accessible, I provide a holder which can be suspended from a conventional music rack of practically any type to receive the music for one selection upon the completion of the playing thereof and from which music can readily be withdrawn preliminary to playing.

To be of value, such a holder should be collapsible, and I find it desirable to move the par-ts into full parallelism in a collapsing operation. The base is made in two sections, each of which comprises a shallow channel, the respective channels having contiguous but separate pivots to front and rear center posts which are inside the channel flanges. Each channel desirably has an end flange.

A two part top frame comprises U-lshaped straps desirably conforming substantially identically in outline to the flanges of the bottom members and correspondingly secured on contiguous but separate pivots to the upstanding center posts. However, in the preferred arrangement, the free ends of the strap members comprising the top frame are offset inwardly to abut the inner faces of the center posts, whereas the flanges of the base members abut the outer faces of the center posts.

Vertical bars or links connect the base members to the top frame elements at points spaced inwardly from the free ends of the members and elements, being pivotally connected to the respective members and elements on their outer faces. The bars or links at the rear of the music holder are extended above the top frame elements and have rearwardly inclined hooked portions for detachable connection with the bottom flange of any conventional music rack.

The construction is such that both the bottom members and the top frame elements can be pivoted respecitvely to the center posts to collapsed positions in which the flanges of the bottom members embrace the posts, the top frame extending upwardly in parallel planes outside the center posts.

I am able, through an optional feature, to lock the parts against collapse, and I am also able to connect the holder to the music rack standard if desired.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a music rack having the improved holder of the present invention suspended therefrom.

FIG. 2 is a view of the holder in side elevation in a partially collapsed position and on a slightly enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective showing the collapsed holder.

FIG. 4 is a view in transverse section showing the bottom of the holder in plan and equipped with the optionally usable latch for securing it against collapse.

FIG. 5 is a view taken in section on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of portions of the music rack standard and the rear center post of the holder, showing in side elevation an optionally usable clip for securing these parts together.

FIG. 7 is a view taken in section on line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

The music rack, shown solely for the purpose of exemplifying the use of my improved holder, comprises a standard 8 carrying back members 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and flanged base members 14 and 15. As will hereinafter be explained, my holder comprises hooked portions loosely engageable with the flange members 14 and 15.

The holder comprises forward and rearward center posts 20 and 21 to which the forward flanges 22 and 23 and the rearward flanges 24 and 25 of the channelshaped bottom members and 31 of the holder are independently pivoted by separate but proximate rivets 32, 33 and 34, 35. The end flanges 36, 37 of the respective bottom members are optional but desirable. It will be noted that the flanges of the bottom members are engaged with the external faces of the front and rear center posts 20 and 21. Thus, when the bottom members are folded on the respective pivots 32, 33 from the position of FIG. 1 through the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3, the flanges 22 and 23 embrace center post 20 while the corresponding rear flanges of the bottom members 30 and 31 embrace the rear center post 21. The terminal flanges 36, 37 are sufficiently narrower than the bottom members to provide slots through which the posts 20 and 21 project in the collapsed position of the parts as shown in FIG. 3.

Top elements 49 and 41 are made of strap metal bent to U-shaped form as clearly appears in FIG. 1, the terminal portions 42, 43 being inwardly offset and pivotally connected by rivets 44, 45 with the upper end of the front i of the rear center post 21. When the frame elements 40 and 41 are collapsed to the positions illustrated in FIG. 3, their legs lie in substantially the planes of the forward and rearward center posts. These legs are sufficiently narrower than the center posts so that the two legs together virtually constitute upward extensions of the respective center post with which they are pivotally connected.

To complete the skeletonized front and rear sides of the music holder, strap links 50, 51, 52 and 53 are pivotally connected by rivets 54 with respective flanges of the bottom members 30 and 31 and there pivotally connected by rivets 55 with the top elements 4th and 41. The strap link-s 50 and 52 are oflset slightly inwardly from the free ends of the bottom members 30 and 31 and the corresponding free ends of the top frame elements 40 and 41.

These links terminate only slightly above frame elements 40 and 41 in the opened position of the parts shown in FIG. 1. However, the rear strap links 51 and 53 extend upwardly and desirably somewhat rearwardly from their pivotal connection with the top frame elements 40 and 41, the upward and rearward extensions being designated by reference characters 58 and 59.

These upward extensions terminate in hooks 60 and 61 which desirably have suflicient opening to receive very loosely the flanges of members 14 and 15 of the rack. By reason of the fact that these hooks are located at or behind the rear of the holder, gravity tends to cause the holder to hang in a position which is inclined with respect to the vertical, thus making the music very readily accessible. For relatively permanent installations, I may provide a clip 65 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the clip having forward hooked portions 66 and 67 formed to engage the center post 21 of the music holder while other curvilinear hook portions 8 and 69 are formed to engage the standard 8 of the music rack. A bolt 70 provided with wing nut 71 releasably connects the two portions of the clamp 65 and can be tightened to exert clamping pressure on standard 8 and the center post 21 of the holder, thus connecting the holder against swaying movement (or any E movement) respecting the music rack. It will be understood that the use of this clamp is optional.

FIGS. 4 and 5 disclose another optional feature consisting of a latch button 75 pivoted to one of the channelshaped bottom members 30 -31 as by means of the rivet 76. When the button 75 is in the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, the parts may readily be folded from the position of FIG. 1 to the collapsed position of FIG. 3. When the button is swung to the full line position in which it is illustrated in HG. 4, and also in FIG. 5, it spans the hinged joint between the bottom members 30 and 31 to preclude the movement of either bottom member pivotally with respect to the other, thereby maintaining the holder rigidly in the opened position illustrated in FIG. 1.

Even when the clamp 65 and the button 75 are used, it still requires but a moment to manipulate these parts and to disconnect the holder from the music rack and collapse it to the FIG. 3 positions of the parts. Ordinarily, however, the music holder will be used only for short intervals, and it has been found entirely satisfactory for such use without the added features shown in FIGS. 4 to 7.

I claim:

1. A music holder comprising channel-shaped bottom members, U-shaped top frame elements approximately corresponding to the bottom members in plan, front and rear center posts to which the several members and elements are pivotally connected at corresponding ends, the bottom members having flanges engaging the posts externally and the top elements having inwardly ofifset ends engaged with the posts internally, the posts being provided with separate rivetsupon which the corresponding ends of the several members and elements are respectively pivoted, the said members being pivotally movable about their connection with the posts to embrace the center posts between their respective flanges, and the top elements being pivotally movable to positions'in which they constitute upward extensions from said posts, and means pivotally connecting pivotally movable portions of said members and elements to constitute skeletonized front and rear sides for the music holder, said last mentioned means comprising straps pivotally connected to respective members inwardly of the free ends thereof and to corresponding portions of said top frame elements, the said straps lying externally of the flanges of the members in the collapsed position of the members, and also lying externally of side portions of said elements in collapsed positions of the elements, the said straps at the rear of the holder having upward extensions above the upper frame elements and inclined rearwardly therefrom, said upper extensions being provided with books for the support of the holder, said rearward extensions being adapted to cause the holder to hang at an angle to the vertical.

2. A music holder comprising front and rear center posts, channel-shaped bottom members having flanges individually provided with proximate pivotal connections externally to the external faces of respective posts, the said bottom members having terminal flanges at their free ends remote from said posts, the said terminal flanges being spaced inwardly from the side flanges of said members and being receivable between the posts when the said bottom members. are folded upon their respective pivotal connections with the posts to substantially parallel positious in which the posts are engaged between the side flanges of said bottom members, the said holder being further provided with collapsible side and top forming means connected with the bot-tom members and posts to be movable with the bottom members between their positions of use and the collapsed positions aforesaid, said means comprising U-shaped top frame elements having leg portions individually pivoted to forward and rearward posts at the inner faces thereof and offset outwardly ;to the planes of said first mentioned flanges and having links pivotally connected to external .faces of intermediate parts of said leg portions and to intermediate parts of the external faces of the side flanges of said bottom members, certain of said links being extended obliquely rearwardly above the top frame elements and provided with hooks for suspending the holder, said hooks lying in a plane which is rearward of the other parts of said I holder.

3. The device of claim 2 in which one of said bottom members is provided at its inner side between the center posts with an elongated member pivotally secured to said bottom member for movement to and from engagement with the other bottom member whereby said holder may be selectively prevented from folding.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A MUSIC HOLDER COMPRISING CHANNEL-SHAPED BOTTOM MEMBERS, U-SHAPED TOP FRAME ELEMENTS APPROXIMATELY CORRESPONDING TO THE BOTTOM MEMBERS IN PLAN, FRONT AND REAR CENTER POSTS TO WHICH THE SEVERAL MEMBERS AND ELEMENTS ARE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT CORRESPONDING ENDS, THE BOTTOM MEMBERS HAVING FLANGES ENGAGING THE POSTS EXTERNALLY AND THE TOP ELEMENTS HAVING INWARDLY OFFSET ENDS ENGAGED WITH THE POSTS INTERNALLY, THE POSTS BEING PROVIDED WITH SEPARATE RIVETS UPON WHICH THE CORRESPONDING ENDS OF THE SEVERAL MEMBERS AND ELEMENTS ARE RESPECTIVELY PIVOTED, THE SAID MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE ABOUT THEIR CONNECTION WITH THE POSTS TO EMBRACE THE CENTER POSTS BETWEEN THEIR RESPECTIVE FLANGES, AND THE TOP ELEMENTS BEING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE TO POSITIONS IN WHICH THEY CONSTITUTE UPWARD EXTENSIONS FROM SAID POSTS, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE PORTIONS OF SAID MEMBERS AND ELEMENTS TO CONSTITUTE SKELETONIZED FRONT 